COLLEGE PARK -- City, making its third consecutive trip to the state semifinals, was disappointed again yesterday, losing to sub-.500 Gwynn Park of Prince George's County, 62-60, in a Class 3A state semifinal at Cole Field House.

Gwynn Park, which evened its season record at 13-13 with the victory, will play Frederick's Thomas Johnson for the Class 3A title at Cole at 3 p.m. tomorrow.

City, ranked No. 6 in metro Baltimore, saw its season end at the hands of a Prince George's County team for the third time.

Yesterday's loss was frustrating, however, because City (19-7) collapsed at the end, a bitter finish for one of its best seasons.

The Knights, who saw a seven-point lead evaporate into a 57-51 deficit in the fourth, were within 59-57 with 22.8 seconds left after a basket by Austin Baker.

But Baker was assessed a delay-of-game technical foul, and the resulting free throw, plus two more seconds later, lifted Gwynn Park to the win despite Jermaul Akanbi's deep three-pointer for City at the buzzer.

Though the technical foul was damaging, it was only part of City's undoing. The Knights made only 5-of-15 shots from the floor in the final quarter and didn't have a field goal in a six-minute stretch from late in the third until midway in the final period. They were also 5-of-12 from the free throw line.

"This is very disappointing," said City coach Daryl Wade, whose team shot 7-of-30 in the second half. "We didn't play well, and we didn't deserve to win."

Lake Clifton makes 4A final

COLLEGE PARK -- Lake Clifton displayed composure, execution and savvy over the first three periods of last night's 61-49 Class 4A state semifinal victory over Montomgery County's Sherwood at Cole Field House.

In that time, the Lakers (20-5 and ranked 10th in metro Baltimore) committed only two of their seven turnovers for the game and rolled up a 41-28 lead.

Sherwood, with a habit of overcoming fourth-quarter deficits, pulled within 53-45 with 1: 10 to play. But two free throws by Dale Byrd (13 points) stretched the Lakers' lead back to 10, and the Warriors got no closer than eight.

The Lakers play Oxon Hill at 8 p.m. tomorrow for the state title.

T. Johnson cruises by 41

COLLEGE PARK -- It's tough to beat a team that is playing near-perfect ball.

But that was 20th-ranked Aberdeen's situation yesterday against Frederick's Thomas Johnson, which took a 101-60 Class 3A state semifinal blowout.

Thomas Johnson sophomore Marcus West scored 24 points on 11-for-13 field goal shooting in only two-thirds of the action. He made nine straight in the first half alone, and for the game, West single-handedly out-scored the Eagles from the foul line, 17-13.

The Patriots' 34 first-period points were more than the Eagles (21-6) scored in the first half.

Aberdeen trailed, 34-13, heading into the second quarter and could not catch up.

The Patriots (26-1), who won their ninth straight game, placed seven players in double figures.

Pub Date: 3/12/99